Baseball Player Gets Death Threats After Cheap Shot

A student at Yavapai College in Arizona received death threats after a video showing his epic cheap shot was released online.

The Yavapai College baseball team was hosting Scottsdale Community College March 29 when a bench-clearing brawl broke out in the bottom of the ninth inning.

As players from both teams gathered angrily on the first base line, the runner on second maintains his position, staring at the unfolding events with his back to the outfield. Then, out of nowhere, the left fielder from Yavapai College, identified as Austin O'Such, is seen slamming into the base runner at full speed as he heads towards the brawl.

The base runner, who was clearly blindsided by the attack, lay on the ground for a few minutes before struggling to his feet.

Yavapai College Athletic Director Scott Farnsworth told ABC's Arizona Affiliate KNXV that the school has received numerous emails and voicemails about the incident, some of which have contained death threats against O'Such.

O'Such is taking online classes and plans to transfer to a California school at the end of the semester. Farnsworth told KNXV that the threats are being investigated by campus police.

Yavapai College released the following statement on its website in response to the incident:

"Yavapai College and the Athletic Department aspire to the ideals of good sportsmanship and fair play. In no way do we condone the behavior as recorded in the video, which occurred on March 29, 2012 at the Yavapai versus Scottsdale Community College baseball game. The YC player involved was immediately suspended by the college and will be suspended from play for the rest of the season. The college has implemented this action and will continue to work with the Arizona Community College Athletic Conference (ACCAC) on current and future sanctions following conference procedures. Per conference rules team members from both teams involved in the on field incident have already served their suspensions."